DOCSLIB.ORG

An Examination of the Process of Forgiveness

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Examination of the Process of Forgiveness View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Kentucky University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, Educational, School, and Counseling and Counseling Psychology Psychology 2011 AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF- COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES Masami Matsuyuki University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Matsuyuki, Masami, "AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES" (2011). Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. 1. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/edp_etds/1 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained and attached hereto needed written permission statements(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine). I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless a preapproved embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s dissertation including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Masami Matsuyuki, Student Dr. Pam Remer, Major Professor Dr. Rory Remer, Director of Graduate Studies AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES ____________________________________ DISSERTATION _____________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky By Masami Matsuyuki Lexington, Kentucky Co-Directors: Dr. Pam Remer, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology and Dr. Rory Remer, Professor of Counseling Psychology Lexington, Kentucky 2011 Copyright© Masami Matsuyuki 2011 ABSTARACT OF DISSERTATION AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of forgiveness and the relationship among state forgiveness, self-compassion, and psychological well-being experienced by Buddhists in the United States. An integral feminist framework was developed for this mixed-method study. For the quantitative component of this study, a convenience sample of 112 adults completed an online survey. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine: (a) the impact of gender, age, and the years spent in Buddhist practice on state forgiveness and self-compassion; (b) the outcome of psychological well-being in relation to state forgiveness and self-compassion; and (c) self-compassion as a mediator for the relationship between state forgiveness and psychological well-being. Quantitative results indicated: (a) state forgiveness positively predicted psychological well-being; (b) the years spent in Buddhist practice positively predicted self-compassion; (c) self- compassion positively predicted psychological well-being; and (d) self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between state forgiveness and psychological well- being. Age did not predict any of the three primary variables. Gender did not predict state forgiveness. For the qualitative component of this study, this researcher purposefully selected four adults from a local Buddhist community in central Kentucky and conducted two in- depth interviews to explore their subjective experiences of forgiveness within their own contexts. A holistic-content narrative analysis revealed unique features of each interviewee’s forgiveness process interwoven with the socio-cultural, family and relational contexts. From a phenomenological analysis, common themes and elements of the interviewees’ forgiveness processes emerged. Qualitative findings corresponded to the quantitative results concerning state forgiveness as a route to psychological well- being, the positive relationship between Buddhist practice and compassion, and the role of self-compassion in the relationship between state forgiveness and psychological well- being. Qualitative findings also suggested the following. First, two-way compassion toward self and the offender was a facilitating factor for forgiveness that may be unique to Buddhists. Second, one’s actual experience of forgiveness may encompass not only cognitive, affective, and behavioral changes, but also transformation of self and perspective on meaning and purpose in life. Third, Enright and his colleagues’ (1998) stage and process models of forgiveness were useful to understand Buddhists’ experiences and processes of forgiveness. KEYWORDS: Forgiveness, Self-Compassion, Psychological Well-Being, Buddhists, Mixed-Method Feminist Research Masami Matsuyuki____________________ Student’s Signature November 11, 2011___________________ Date AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES By Masami Matsuyuki Pam Remer, Ph.D._____________________ Co-Director of Dissertation Rory Remer, Ph.D.____________________ Co-Director of Dissertation Rory Remer, Ph.D.____________________ Director of Graduate Studies November 11, 2011____________________ Date Acknowledgements I want to thank my committee, Dr. Pam Remer, Dr. Rory Remer, Dr. Sharon Rostosky, Dr. Beth Goldstein, and Dr. Jean Wiese, for their continuous support throughout my unusually long dissertation process. They all let me count on their expertise in different areas and helped me to grow as a researcher. Special thanks to Pam for chairing the committee and allowing me to pursue the topic about which I feel passionate and to Rory for co-chairing the committee and providing me with the guidance and encouragement that I needed to push through the hard times. I also want to thank Dr. Lee Blonder for her service as the outside examiner. I want to thank several psychologists who also contributed to the inception and completion of this dissertation. Dr. Lise DeShea taught me how to use statistics as a tool, introduced me to the field of forgiveness research, and assisted me to obtain the funding for this study. Dr. Judith Broadus helped me to solicit participants for this study. Dr. Vincent Dummer lent me his office to conduct the interviews in private. Dr. Geraldo Lima and Dr. Jeeseon Park-Saltzman were available for consultation when I was finalizing the research design for the quantitative component and when I was deciding how to present the qualitative findings, respectively. I appreciate their mentorship. This dissertation was made possible by the Aryle & Ellen Turner Thacker Endowment Fund for Dissertation Research and by the participants who took their time and shared their personal experiences with me. I appreciate their support. Also, I am grateful to my family and friends whose love and generosity sustained me through my dissertation process. Special thanks to the members of the Wilber/Integral Study Group, Dr. Jutta Kausch, Dr. Gordon Liddle, and my beloved husband, Jim Robertson. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... x List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xi Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Psychology of Forgiveness ........................................................................................... 1 Concern 1: Definitions of forgiveness ...................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Conciliatory Gestures Promote Forgiveness and Reduce Anger in Humans
    Conciliatory gestures promote forgiveness and reduce anger in humans Michael E. McCullougha,1, Eric J. Pedersena, Benjamin A. Tabaka,b, and Evan C. Cartera,c aDepartment of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124-0751; bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563; and cDepartment of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108 Edited by Frans B. M. de Waal, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, and approved June 10, 2014 (received for review March 24, 2014) Conflict is an inevitable component of social life, and natural and/or engage in postconflict affiliative interaction with them, selection has exerted strong effects on many organisms to facilitate which animal behavioral researchers have labeled “reconcilia- victory in conflict and to deter conspecifics from imposing harms tion” (15–20). The relational model of aggression (21–23) posits upon them. Like many species, humans likely possess cognitive that the evolved function of reconciliation is to restore valuable systems whose function is to motivate revenge as a means of relationships. In support of this claim, the conciliatory gestures deterring individuals who have harmed them from harming them that one observes among nonhuman primates are such reliable again in the future. However, many social relationships often prologues to the restoration of positive interactions that research- “... retain value even after conflicts have occurred between inter- ers were recently able to write, the large body of evidence actants, so natural selection has very likely also endowed humans about conflict management in primates is essentially unanimous in showing that primates reconcile with their opponent after a with cognitive systems whose function is to motivate reconcilia- ..
    [Show full text]
  • Compassion & Forgiveness
    Compassion & Forgiveness in The Great Gatsby The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again. Compassion & Forgiveness Ø Characters possess an infinite capacity to forgive. Ø Characters possess an infinite stubbornness not to forgive. Compassion & Forgiveness Ø Example: Daisy’s marriage vs. her love Compassion & Forgiveness Ø Examples: Tom’s cheating vs. Gatsby’s deceit Compassion & Forgiveness Ø Cause of much sadness in the novel Ø Characters taunted by the possibility of forgiveness only to lose out to another’s stubbornness. THESIS In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author illustrates the power of forgiveness to heal when offered and to destroy when denied. Question #1 What gets forgiven and what does not get forgiven in this novel? Why? Characters offer a limited forgiveness for actions. The limit to forgiveness occurs when perception fails to match reality. Evidence #1 Characters offer a limited forgiveness for actions. The limit to forgiveness occurs when perception fails to match reality. Gatsby began “denying everything, defending his name” but Daisy drew “further and further into herself.” Gatsby’s dream died but “fought on... struggling toward that lost voice,” the Daisy of his past. Question #2 Nick claims in the first page of the novel that he was told to never criticize. Is he compassionate towards Gatsby, or does he judge the man? Does this evolve over the course of the novel? In the beginning of the novel, Nick judges Gatsby harshly; however, his feelings evolve to include an enormous measure of compassion for Gatsby.
    [Show full text]
  • Forgiveness-Final508-08-29-2018.Pdf
    WHOLE HEALTH: INFORMATION FOR VETERANS Forgiveness Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and enables YOU to take charge of your health and well-being and live your life to the fullest. It starts with YOU. It is fueled by the power of knowing yourself and what will really work for you in your life. Once you have some ideas about this, your team can help you with the skills, support, and follow up you need to reach your goals. All resources provided in these handouts are reviewed by VHA clinicians and Veterans. No endorsement of any specific products is intended. Best wishes! https://www.va.gov/wholehealth/ Forgiveness Forgiveness Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than anything on which it is poured. —Mark Twain Why should I practice forgiveness? Any negative emotion you hold onto can become toxic. For example, when you are angry with someone and want to get even, those emotions harm your mind, body, and spirit. It also gives the person you feel wronged by power over you. Practicing forgiveness can help you let go of anger, sorrow, or other emotions that can harm you. Letting go of negative emotions is hard, and healing takes time. If you stick with it, forgiveness can also help you sleep better, give you more energy, and improve your overall mental health and satisfaction with life.1-5 What is forgiveness? There are many ways you could define forgiveness. In this handout, forgiveness means releasing anger and resentment toward someone or something that has hurt you.
    [Show full text]
  • On Forgiveness
    ON FORGIVENESS Josef Seifert Introductory Comments I chose the topic of forgiveness for this presentation. It was the subject of my very first philosophical essay, a very long one of 58 pages that I wrote between 1957 and 1959, between age 12 and 14. I had read (enthusiastically devoured) before a very profound but the most difficult work of Hildebrand, the Metaphysik der Gemeinschaft, and prior to that some works of Plato and some ethical and epistemological writings of Hildebrand, as well as some writings of Adolf Reinach. 1 In what follows I will add little about forgiveness that is not Dr. JOSEF SEIFERT, Dietrich von Hildebrand Chair for Realist Phenomenology, Iap-Ifes. Presentation in the first Dietrich von Hildebrand Schülerkreis Meeting Steubenville, Ohio, July 9-14, 2017 1 Metaphysik der Gemeinschaft. Untersuchungen über Wesen und Wert der Gemeinschaft, 3., vom Verf. durchgesehene Aufl., Dietrich von Hildebrand, Gesammelte Werke IV (Regensburg: J. Habbel, 1975). I read the book in its second edition: (Regensburg: Verlag Josef Habbel, 1955). During my work on forgiveness, I read Hildebrand’s book Christian Ethics. (New York: David McKay, 1953/Toronto: Musson, 1954/London: Thames & Hudson, 1954); Deutsch: Christliche Ethik (Düsseldorf: Patmos, 1959). The second edition of both the English and German book was published under the title Ethics. I had also read Dietrich von Hildebrand, Die Umgestaltung in Christus. Über christliche Grundhaltung, in the first or second edition. 5th ed., (St. Ottilien: Eos Verlag, 1988). Transformation in Christ. On the Christian Attitude of Mind, last edition with a new sub-title: Transformation in Christ. Our Path to Holiness.
    [Show full text]
  • Forgiveness Is a Choice
    PROJECT CONNECT PROJECT CONNECT PROJECT CONNECT Forgiveness Is a Choice by Rev. Dr. Steven Hokana The topic of forgiveness is front and center in this Project Connect booklet from Pastor Steven Hokana. Join him as he explores the many dimensions of forgiveness in operation. Whether we’re forgiving or being forgiven, he shows the reader that forgiveness is not about weakness or ignoring the past. Rather it’s about understanding that as we have been offered forgiveness through the work of Christ on our behalf, so, too, are we to forgive others and, when necessary, ourselves. The Nuts and Bolts of Forgiveness Thanks for checking out this booklet on forgiveness. Jesus forgives and you are called to forgive others. That can be so difficult. But think of what Jesus did for you and me! He poured out His life to forgive and free us from death. Forgiveness wipes clean the junk that holds us back. It brings into focus a life filled with hope and happiness. Forgiveness is important and essential in all aspects of our lives. As God rules your heart and the whole universe from horizon to horizon, there is no limit to this beautiful and powerful gift. Now, I hope I have your attention. This booklet has stories, points to ponder, and thoughts on obtaining forgiveness in your life. As you read this ask yourself, “Does this apply to me?” Forgiveness is about relationships—so treat this like a conversation. Imagine we‘re at a coffee shop and talking as friends. I’m too busy. Okay, I got it.
    [Show full text]
  • “Discipleship in Mark's Gospel: 2) the Hard Cost of Forgiveness”
    “Discipleship in Mark’s Gospel: 2) The Hard Cost of Forgiveness” a sermon by Dr. William P. Wood First Presbyterian Church Charlotte, North Carolina February 20, 2005 Text: “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk?’” (Mark 2:9). One of the most powerful and important books I have come across in recent years is a book by Richard Hays, entitled The Moral Vision of the New Testament . In this book Hays wrestles with some of the difficult sayings about the Christian life that are found in the New Testament: the sayings of Jesus about divorce, money, war, nonviolence and the sharing of our possessions with others. I think that anyone who takes the New Testament seriously finds that looking at the teachings of Jesus is like trying to look at the sun. There is a brilliant light that causes us, when faced with it, to turn and look the other way. That is why the only persons to whom this message is addressed are those who are conscious of some moral wrongdoing. If there is anyone here who does not have an uneasy stirring of conscience about an attitude or relationship, then this sermon is not for him for we are going to talk about the forgiveness of sin. I. Most of us, when we think of sin, think about a specific list of gross iniquities--murder, robber, sensuality, or drunkenness. Those plainly are sins. But they are not the only ones. What about the sins of temperament--sullenness, vindictiveness, envy, jealousy, and a bad temper? How much more prevalent they are.
    [Show full text]
  • Love and Forgiveness a Sermon by Reverend Lynn Strauss
    Love and Forgiveness A Sermon by Reverend Lynn Strauss It is not enough to know that love and forgiveness are possible. We have to find ways to bring them to life. -- Jack Kornfield On March 13, 2015, Pope Francis did an unusual thing. He declared 2016 as a special year in the Catholic Church…he declared an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. In the Papal Bull that followed in April, he gave two reasons for this special Jubilee Year. One was to honor the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, and the other was to emphasize the importance of mercy. The church needs to be more open, he said, and there is a need to understand the importance of “mercy and gaze upon it.” Like Buddhist teacher, Jack Kornfield, he wants to bring forgiveness to life. Like Tara Brach, he wants more open hearts and more acceptance. Bringing love and forgiveness to life requires us to get close to the pain. All of our pain. What we need is to get closer to one another. We need to “gaze upon mercy” as a concept and as we see it play out in our lives and in the world. When we keep our distance - from one another, from our own pain, and from the pain we share as human beings on this planet - when we keep our distance, we cannot understand when is needed….what is possible. Honestly, I hated to see that photo on the front page of the newspaper that showed the small boy who died on the beach while trying to find a safe place to be.
    [Show full text]
  • Self-Compassion and Self-Forgiveness As Mediated By
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 8-2015 Self-Compassion and Self-Forgiveness as Mediated by Rumination, Shame-Proneness, and Experiential Avoidance: Implications for Mental and Physical Health Elizabeth Conway Williams East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Williams, Elizabeth Conway, "Self-Compassion and Self-Forgiveness as Mediated by Rumination, Shame-Proneness, and Experiential Avoidance: Implications for Mental and Physical Health" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2562. https://dc.etsu.edu/ etd/2562 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Self-Compassion and Self-Forgiveness as Mediated by Rumination, Shame-Proneness, and Experiential Avoidance: Implications for Mental and Physical Health ___________________________________ A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Department of Psychology East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology with a Concentration in Clinical Psychology _____________________ by
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding and Supporting Student-Athlete Mental Wellness October 2014
    MIND, BODY AND SPORT UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTING STUDENT-ATHLETE MENTAL WELLNESS October 2014 EDITOR Gary T. Brown ASSOCIATE EDITORS Brian Hainline, NCAA Chief Medical Officer Emily Kroshus, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health and the NCAA Sport Science Institute Mary Wilfert, Associate Director, NCAA Sport Science Institute DESIGN Arnel Reynon, Publishing Director, Sport Graphics Amanda Goehlert, Art Director, Sport Graphics Channon Seifert, Designer, Sport Graphics PHOTOGRAPHY NCAA Photos Copyright © 2014 NCAA All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact Mary Wilfert at [email protected] or write to the NCAA Sport Science Institute at the address below. Mind, Body and Sport: Understanding and Supporting Student-Athlete Mental Wellness ( ISBN # 978-1-4951-3175-2 ) is published by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 700 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222 Copies of this book are available at www.NCAAPublications.com NCAA is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Acknowledgments NCAA MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline convened nearly two dozen scientists, clinicians, policy experts, team physicians, administrators, coaches and student-athletes in November 2013 to discuss the myriad mental health issues facing today’s NCAA student-athletes. Those discussions from the Mental Health Task Force prompted development of this publication, and several task force members contributed articles.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Forgiveness on Psychological Well-Being in Adolescents: a Review
    Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 395 5th ASEAN Conference on Psychology, Counselling, and Humanities (ACPCH 2019) The Role of Forgiveness on Psychological Well-Being in Adolescents: A Review Ika Wulandari Fitria Erma Megawati University of Muhammadiyah Malang University of Muhammadiyah Malang [email protected] [email protected] Abstract: Psychological well-being is a multidimensional concept to which individuals carry out their psychological functions positively. One of the factors that influence psychological well-being is forgiveness. Teenagers who have the ability to forgive things that hurt their feeling can have a prosperous psychological impact. The purpose of this article is to find out how forgiveness affects adolescent psychological well-being. The method used in this article is a literature review by using research journals published between 2013 and 2018 as the criteria of the article. Journal articles are collected from various websites, including ResearchGate, EBSCOhost, google scholar, and academia.edu. Based on the literature, the results indicated that forgiveness could be a factor of psychological well-being among adolescents. Forgiveness is able to have some positive effect on happiness, spiritual well-being, and subjective well-being among adolescents, including youth of bullying victims. Lastly, it can be concluded that adolescents with a high degree of forgiveness will be psychologically prosperous. Keywords: forgiveness, psychological well-being, adolescents Introduction The results showed that self-control and social support Humans are complete living things that have could predict psychological well-being among several aspects inside their souls including physical, adolescents. Older adolescents show lower emotional, spiritual, and social aspects.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Forgiveness in Marital Contentment Among Married Couples in Citam Assemblies, Nairobi County, Kenya by Veronica Kaar
    THE ROLE OF FORGIVENESS IN MARITAL CONTENTMENT AMONG MARRIED COUPLES IN CITAM ASSEMBLIES, NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA BY VERONICA KAARI MAKENA A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE OF GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY OF PAN AFRICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY OCTOBER 2018 DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is my original work and has not been submitted to any other college or university for academic credit. Signed: ___________________________________ Date: ________________ Makena, Kaari Veronica (MMFT/6332/15) This thesis has been submitted for examination with my approval as the University Supervisor Signed:___________________________________ Date: ________________ Ruth Kamunyu, PhD Supervisor ii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ....................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ viii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................. ix LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • GRANTING FORGIVENESS OR HARBORING GRUDGES: Implications for Emotion, Physiology, and Health Charlottevanoyen Witvliet, Thomas E
    PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE Research Article GRANTING FORGIVENESS OR HARBORING GRUDGES: Implications for Emotion, Physiology, and Health CharlottevanOyen Witvliet, Thomas E. Ludwig, and Kelly L. VanderLaan Hope College Abstract- Interpersonaloffenses frequently mar relationships.Theo- Anotherline of researchsuggests that grantingor withholdingfor- rists have arguedthat the responsesvictims adopt towardtheir offend- giveness may influence cardiovascularhealth throughchanges in al- ers have ramificationsnot only for their cognition, but also for their lostasis and allostatic load. Allostasis involves changes in the multiple emotion,physiology, and health. This study examined the immediate physiological systems that allow people to survive the demands of emotional and physiological effects that occurred when participants both internal and external stressors (McEwen, 1998). Although al- (35 females, 36 males) rehearsed hurtful memories and nursed lostasis is necessary for survival, extended physiological stress re- grudges (i.e., were unforgiving)compared with when they cultivated sponses triggeredby psychosocial factors such as anxiety and hostility empathicperspective taking and imagined grantingforgiveness (i.e., can result in allostatic load, eventuallyleading to physical breakdown. were forgiving) toward real-life offenders. Unforgiving thoughts Interpersonaltransgressions and people's adverse reactions to them promptedmore aversive emotion, and significantlyhigher corrugator may contributeto allostatic load and health risk throughsympathetic (brow) electromyogram(EMG), skin conductance, heart rate, and nervous system (SNS), endocrine, and immune system changes (e.g., blood pressure changesfrom baseline. The EMG, skin conductance, Kiecolt-Glaser, 1999). In contrast, forgiveness may buffer health by and heart rate effects persisted after imagery into the recoveryperi- reducing physiological reactivityand allostatic load (Thoresenet al., ods. Forgivingthoughts prompted greater perceived control and com- 1999). paratively lower physiological stress responses.
    [Show full text]